Decorations
by Reginleif420
Summary: Hecate gets a new perspective on Christmas ornaments.


Miss Hardbroom loathes patrolling the halls in December. Preparations for Yule are already beginning at the sunrise of the 1st and as the week progresses she sees the slow cancerous growth of decorations and ornaments creeping through the castle like a disease. She does not dislike Yule in itself, rather the watered-down mainstream materialistic tendencies of what it has become in the form of modern day Christmas.

The girls were all excited of course, having been allowed to decorate different areas of the castle in groups together. Hecate walks past two of them up ladders with a few others on the ground as they attempt to attach tinsle streams to the walls. She silently flicks a small spell to even out the stone floor beneath the ladders and continues on her way to the Potions Laboratory, arriving just in time to see a small group of girls with a few boxes of decorations just about to brave opening the door.

They step back though as they see Miss Hardbroom approaching.

"Good morning Miss Hardbroom" they all chime, feeling guilty under the investigative gaze of their Potions Mistress even though they hadn't actually broken any rules. She enjoyed that effect from time to time.

"What is all this, then?" she asks, raising her eyebrow in that certain manner that everyone was familiar with, looking down at the boxes in their arms.

"We thought we would decorate the potions lab, Miss. We did knock first but there was no answer so we thought..." the smallest one trails off upon finally meeting her teacher's gaze.

Hecate blinks at them.  
"You thought you would simply enter my laboratory and.. _decorate_.. it?"

The girls all look at each other with guilty expressions.  
"Yes, Miss Hardbroom"

"Well I'm afraid I must deny you the indulgence, for there are sensitive potions on shelves and I simply cannot have you knocking them about putting up.. _tinsle_... So there will be no decorating in my laboratory, is that clear?"

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom" They sounded a bit put out but Hecate had gotten over that small pocket of Teacher's Guilt years ago.

"Good. I'm sure there are other parts of the castle that can be done. It would be wise to do so before someone else comes along. Now, away with you." Hecate points in the direction away from the lab.

"Yes Miss, Thank you Miss" the girls all say with wide eyes and scattering away to find another untouched area of the castle. It was still early in the month so Hecate was confident they would not be disappointed.

Hecate watches them run off then turns to enter the lab. Shutting the door behind her and locking it, she leans back and sighs "And, here we go again.."

She knows she will have to camp the potions lab from now until the end of Yule. Every year they always try to sneak in to put up the most obnoxious ornaments they can find and every year she shoos them away, successful in keeping the serious nature of her lab in tact.

The second week is uneventful, other than a few other groups knocking on her laboratory door asking to come in and decorate. She shoos them away. All is well.

As the third week progresses, however, Hecate's meals become interrupted more and more frequently as the girls keep trying to slip inside the lab while she's in the Great Hall. The castle is almost fully completed and it's getting harder for Hecate to convince the girls to just go find another spot. They start coming in larger and larger groups. She has to triple-lock the door before she retires for the night.

Hecate had just finished fixing her hair for the night after slipping into her robe when her mirror chimes. She sits down to receive the call and is both pleasantly surprised and relieved to see Pippa come into focus.

"Good evening, Hecate. How are you?" Pippa's radiant smile causes Hecate's throat to go dry.

"Good evening Pippa, all is well here. Aside from the usual cacophony of course." She tries to put on her best Deputy Headmistress voice even if she does know Pippa can see right through it.

Pippa does see right through it.  
"Are the Yule preparations going well? Just about all our decorations have been put up, I had a few of our students in my office today doing up the tree."

"Yes, they've been in full force here too. Ours have been trying to get into my lab to put up.. _tinsle streams_." Hecate grinds the last two words out with a roll of her eyes.

Pippa giggles lightly, making Hecate's stomach do somersaults  
"Do you remember when we were girls sneaking in there to do the same? I think the silver ones looked especially good in there."

"I do remember. You tripped over your own cat and got us caught." Hecate allows the corners of her mouth to tilt ever so slightly upward. Their own shenanigans from days past are the reason why she knows how to keep sneaky little girls out of her lab.

Pippa laughs at the memory.  
"Oh, Hecate. I do wish I could show you around my halls, they look so beautiful. You know Yule is my favourite time of the year." Flashing another brilliant smile.

Hecate's heart aches just for a moment but she recovers herself quickly.  
"I know, Pippa. I wish you could see my halls too." She grips handfuls of her robe in her lap, below the line of the vanity safely out of sight.

"I know." Pippa replied softly as she gazes at Hecate for a moment before collecting her own self.  
"Anyway, I know it's late so I'll let you go. I just wanted to see how you were doing, I always miss you the most at this time."

Hecate's heart aches so much she cannot wish it away. She thinks of all the missed years. Of all she and Pippa could have shared.  
She blinks away the beginnings of tears, which Pippa does not see, and breathes deep.  
"I miss you too, Pippa. Sleep well. Happy Yuletide."

Pippa blows a kiss, almost making Hecate pass out.  
"Goodnight my dear Hecate, sleep well. Happy Yuletide."

The mirror goes back to it's normal state. Hecate sits for a moment and stares at where Pippa's face had just been. Finally, she gets up and does a quick check on the various Detection and Locking spells she has put on the lab. Finding them all in tact and unaltered in any way, she goes to sleep.

Breakfast does not get interrupted, which she is thankful for. The hall is completely adorned with wreathes and tinsle and holly, with the tree standing a good 20 feet tall. Hecate looks around and observes that the decorations don't look as bad as she remembered. She chalks it up to the girls having better taste this year.

After breakfast is finished and all the girls herded away to their morning lessons, Hecate transfers to her lab to prepare for her next class.

Hecate enjoys having a spare slot for the first period of the day, it gives her extra time to double check the lab for anything left out of place along with finishing any paperwork she might not have gotten to. The bell sounds for morning break around 10am.

She really should have known it would not be over by a longshot, she realizes this as she reflects upon this later on in the day. For there is a knocking on her laboratory door once again.

Rather than magicking the door open as per usual, she opts to stand at the door and open it slowly by hand. Her caution is validated when she is met with dozens upon dozens of pairs of young eyes belonging to her pupils, all gathered around the door holding more boxes. She looks around at the horde of girls, this group is much larger than one she has seen prior and she suspects about half the school is here. All with hopeful expressions and standing in a neat and orderly fashion.

They're organized. _They're learning._

The one in front speaks up.  
"Good morning, Miss Hardbroom. We've finished decorating the whole castle except for just one more room..." The girl looks into the lab past Hecate.

"Have you done the dungeons?" Miss Hardbroom questions the girl as she narrows her eyes at them all.

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom."

"The kitchens? The courtyard?" She tries to detect a lie, she cannot find one.

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom. Even Miss Cackle's office. Everywhere is done except the lab."

Hecate looks around again and remembers what Pippa had said the night before.

She lets out a long exasperated sigh.  
"Very well then.. but you will not move or touch anything on the shelves. You will be under my direct supervision. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom!" all the girls now say as they become visibly excited to finally being allowed in to decorate.

Hecate stands aside and allows them to pour in, all excitedly chatting with each other over where to put what and how. She internally groans as she seats herself back at her desk to keep an eye on everyone.

It happens much quicker than Hecate expected, but the girls soon finish putting up streams of wreathe and silver tinsle along the ceiling arches in the room and wrapped around down the support columns. They ask for her approval once they're finished and she graces them with a nod.

"Thank you Miss Hardbroom!" the girls each say as they depart to collect their things for the next class.

Finally being the only one left in the room again, Hecate looks more closely at what they have done. She finds herself suprised to feel that she doesn't entirely dislike it. They clearly took time and effort to space it all out evenly and to safely secure it all down so it doesn't fall. She thinks she may actually be pleased with the work done.

She forgot she had left the door open.

"Ah, Hecate, here you are." Ada smiles warmly as she enters the lab, looking around at the recent additions to the room.

"Ada." Hecate breathes as she immediately goes to Ada's side. Her heartbeat quickens its pace.

"I see they've finally gotten in. Doesn't it just look wonderful?" Ada beams as she gently touches Hecate's arm.

The touch sends warm waves of calm over the usually stoic potions mistress, she's glad to see Ada in such high spirits. Even more glad that she is happy at what she sees.

"Yes, it does." A genuine smile forming on her face. She isn't lying.

"Come, let's see what other brilliant creations the girls have done. Shall we?" Ada gestures for Hecate to come with her on a walk through the castle.

"We shall." Hecate can't help but feel all warm and fuzzy looking forward to a walk with Ada. She thinks of all the years spent with Ada. Of all they had shared and accomplished together. She feels good.

She looks around the room once more for anything left behind before following Ada through the door and closing it. Leaving it unlocked.

They walk through the castle together, and Hecate, for once in a very long time, actually doesn't despise the sights she sees.


End file.
